


Derry Academy

by surviving_and_thriving



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: F/M, M/M, Ok I lied, bev goes to an all-boys school?, its a boarding school au, not so low-key, pennywise exists but in a low-key way, they go to Derry Academy because im not creative
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-02-11 04:42:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12927684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surviving_and_thriving/pseuds/surviving_and_thriving
Summary: When Richie Tozier arrived at Derry Academy, he didn't really know what to expect.  This was certainly not what he thought a boarding school would be like.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> hey y'all! 
> 
> tw: low-key abuse (richie's parents are assholes)

_Be normal, and try not to get kicked out again, Richard. I don’t want to deal with your bullshit behavior anymore._

The loving words of my father echo in my head as I look for a seat in the lunchroom. First day of school number three, in as many years, and I was not impressed. But, despite my disdain for the institution, I was going to tough it out this year. My dad’s rage was not to be trifled with.  
Suddenly, glass shatters. So, maybe this won’t be the year I magically turn my life around.

A crowd seems to be forming, as I push through the throng of kids to get to the action. I can see a small red-head being slammed against one of the lunchroom windows, a shattered pane behind his head. Launching into action, I completely forgot anything my dad said this morning.  
I went to go throw a punch at the guy holding the boy, just to get his attention away from the poor kid, but was abruptly shoved back with a grunted, “this isn’t your fight, new kid” tossed over his shoulder at me, which I politely ignored.

“Pick on someone your own size, asshole”

He turns on me with an evil glint in his eyes, “Fine.”

He dropped the boy like a sack of potatoes. Good, at least he’s free. Suddenly, a rapid volley of punches came my way, causing me to drop and roll away, before standing up to face him again.

“Last warning, new kid. This isn’t going to be pretty.”

“For you maybe,” I retaliated, before kicking him in the crotch. _Hey, no one ever said I had to fight fair._

Predictably, he goes down hard, cursing the whole way down.

Obviously this is the exact moment the teachers chose to show up, meaning they only saw me standing over an incapacitated individual and none of the events leading up to that moment.

“TOZIER! Office now”

“Hey! I didn’t start it. This kid was-”

“No. That’s it. You’re done”

* * *

“Suspension, Richard. Wonderful. Again. On your first day.”

“It’s Richie,” I mumble quietly.

He ignores me, as usual, plowing along with his lecture.

“This temper of yours is too much for me to handle. With your mother how she is-”

Angrily, I cut him off, “you haven’t been home to take care of Mom in weeks, Dad. You show up to fuck up my life, then you disappear for months. Who the hell do you think you are, complaining about responsibilities?”

He slaps me.

_He slapped me._

“Richard Tozier. You know nothing of respect or responsibility. And this fighting of yours, fighting at school and against me, it has to stop. ‘Discretion is the better part of valor.’ Do you know what that means, boy?”

“That it’s okay to turn tail and run.”

“It means there’s almost always another option to fighting.

“Really? ‘Cause it seems that’s all we do around here.”

“Go to your room. I can’t deal with you right now.”

“Funny, Dad, I can’t deal with you at anytime.”

He slaps me again.

_He slapped me._

I turn tail and bolt to my room.

Five days in this house with my absentee asshole of a father and drunken mess of a mother. Perfect.

* * *

Walking up the next morning, I could feel the after effects of last night. My face stung and my lip was split, but I guess I got off easy for what I did. Fuck my parents.  
I walked down the stairs as quietly as possible. If the noises from the kitchen last night are anything to go off, both my parents were up late drinking and I did not want to disturb them this early in the morning and risk conflict.

When I walked into the kitchen, however, I was met with a sight I had not expected to see.

Both of my parents, fully conscious, waiting for me at the kitchen table.

“What’s up?”

“Richie-” my mom started before being cut off by my dad.

“We’re sending you away. You are simply too much for me to handle and, frankly, I don’t want to put up with you. Derry Academy is a good place for you.”

_Derry Academy? A school in the middle of nowhere? Far away from my parents? Perfect._

“You start tomorrow. Go pack your shit and get ready. We’re leaving in half an hour.”

* * *

Less than forty-eight hours after my parents effectively booted me from my house, I stood in something I never thought I would be wearing. Richie Tozier, trashmouth of Maine, looked back from the mirror wearing a neatly pressed navy blazer, khaki pants and a gold tie.

I looked ridiculous.

The door banged open behind me and the boys I assumed were my roommates tumbled inside, laughing.

I whipped around and am faced with the strangest group of boys. There’s seven of them, and not one of them looks like the neatly groomed kids I saw on the brochure.

“Hey newbie, welcome to Derry Academy, the most prestigious school for kids whose parents don’t want to deal with them anymore. I’m Beverley Marsh, but that takes too fucking long to say, so everyone just calls me Bev.”

With a jolt, I realize that one of the “boys” who came to greet me was actually a girl. Quickly I regained my cool ( _like I had any_ ), and greeted the group of kids.

“I’m Richie Tozier, I’m from Bangor and I’m just trying to not die at this weird ass school.”

A chorus of names greeted my introduction, and I tried my best to just keep up with them all.

There was Stan, the only boy who somewhat resembled the boys on the advertisements for this school, minus his wild curly hair, Mike, who has his tie undone and blazer thrown over one shoulder with his shirt sleeves cuffed, Bill, who looked like he had gotten half dressed and just gave up, Ben, who just wasn’t wearing the uniform, instead donning navy sweatpants and a gold top, Bev, who was not a boy ( _so how did she get into this school?_ ), and had decorated her blazer to look more punk than prep.

And then there was Eddie. A eccentric looking boy with dual fanny packs in school colors wrapped around his waist on top of the shortest shorts I had ever seen. But somehow he was pulling them off ( _and I totally didn’t want to pull them off of him, nope, not at all_ ).

Shaking my head to clear those thoughts away, I said hello to everyone.

“Anyway,” Stan said, “Me, Bill, and Bev are your roommates. No one is entirely sure how Bev managed to get into a boys school, but we just roll with it, blame her asshole of a dad, and accept it.”

Bev winked at me, “Secrets stay secrets, boys.”

With that, a bell rang, indicating that class was about to start.

“W-w-what class do you have first, R-Richie?”

Looking down at the schedule I was given, I answered, “Um, Biology. Then Music Theory.”

“Oh cool!” Bev exclaimed, “We have Music together!”

“And Stan and I have science with you, so you can just come with us” said Eddie

_Oh, fuck. Well I’m going to fail Biology with him in there. I’m not going to be able to focus._

The group split off into three different paths, with Bev and Ben heading off to history, Mike and Bill going to English, and Stan, Eddie, and I going to Biology.

As we walked across the campus, I got an impromptu tour of the school, which mostly consisted with the places the faculty never go, the best places to nap, and how awful the cafeteria food is, you know, all the important things.

And even though I felt like a fish out of water, I couldn’t help notice just how freakishly nice the school was. With well-manicured grounds and stately dormitories, the school looked more like the grounds of a palace than a boarding school.

“Well,” Eddie said, spreading his arms open, “Welcome to Derry Academy.”


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took me so long to get this up. im trying to post once a week but, you know, life happens yall

As we walked across campus, a disembodied voice echoed over the grounds.

“All new students, orientation begins in fifteen minutes. Don’t be late.”

“Am I supposed to go to that?” I ask, turning to Stan.

“Nah,” he responds nonchalantely, “Eddie and I can just tell you what you need to know.”

“Yeah!” Eddie chimes in, “It’ll be like a personal tour.”

_Just Eddie and I...alone..._

Internally blushing, I changed the topic, “So what are the teachers like here? If they’re anything like the ones at other schools, there may be some issues.”

“Most of the teachers here are pretty decent. Nothing special, but nothing horrible either. And Richie, it is probably best if you keep out of trouble. I may be a staunch rule follower, but it’s for a good reason.”

“Stan, my man, that’s just who I am. And what are they going to do? Tourture me?”

A chill runs down my spine when both of the other boys stare back at me without a hint of joking.

We walk in silence the rest of the way to Biology, my own words churning in my mind. Maybe this school isn’t what I thought it was going to be at all.

Reaching the classroom, took far more time than I had expected. Derry Prep was a much larger school than I had been told. Combined with the strange conversation I had just had with Stan and Eddie, I could only wonder what other secrets lay behind Derry’s guilded gates.

Once we did eventually get to the science building, however, I barely stepped inside before I was grabbed and pulled to the side.

“Young man, you are late for orientation. And you, you boys,” he guestured to Eddie and Stan with this, “You are not in uniform. I do not want to be forced to take diciplinary action this early in the school year.”

“Sorry, Headmaster,” they both say in unison.

“Don’t let it happen again, boys.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The difference between the two boys I had been joking around with minutes prior and the boys talking to the man now was stark. It was like they were, afraid almost. Terrified of what this man could do.

“Now, get to class. I hope we don’t have to have this discussion again.”

All three of us turn to enter the lab door to our right.

“Not you, Richard. You’re coming with me. Missing orientation is a severe crime on this campus.”

Before he dissappears into the classroom, Eddie turns to me with wide, scared eyes.

And on that reassuring note, I was pulled away by Headmaster.

 

* * *

 

“Sit, Richard.”

Sinking into the red leather chair, I look around the office. Although the walls were lined with books, the most arresting feature of the room was the large 3D map of the school laid out on a table. I studied it and was only milidy freaked out to see the eerily detailed school grounds and surrounding woods. The strangest part, however, was not the immaculate detail, but the fact that there was nothing surrounding the school. The map showed the woods stretching for miles and miles.

I sit uncomfortably in front of the Headmaster. He looks...strange. I can’t place my finger on it, but there is something off about the man.

“Richard Tozier. Seventeen. Attributes include: intelligence, loyalty, courage. Flaws include: stubbornness, quick temper, secretave. Psychological profile reveals a lonely young man- parents never truly loved him and he has no true friends.”

“Where did you get that? _How_ did you get that?”

He ignores me and continues reading from the file clutched in his hands.

“Despite excellent leadership potential, subject prefers to go his own way.”

Finally, he puts down the file and smiles at me.

“You’re an interesting young man, Richard. I hope we’ll be friends.”

I look at him skeptically.

“No? Well, I hope we can agree to get along then.”

“Sir, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but am I under arrest?”

“Of course not.”

“Then what is this place? It looks like a fancy-ass jail masqerading as a school.”

“The important question Richard, is not where are you, it is who are you?”

“Excuse me?”

“Richard-”

“Richie,” I correct him.

“Richard, how long would you have lasted at your old school? You were already suspended. One more incident and you’d have been expelled. Then what? Off to another school  
and another incident? A boy like you was not meant to drift through a system geared for ordinary minds with ordinary ambitions.”

I can’t help but laugh, “I’m no one special.”

“Derry Academy was designed as a school to help those in situations like yours- situations that they would never have been able to escape otherwise- find a way out. Derry Academy was founded expressly for students like you.”

“Well Mr…” When I look at the nameplate on the Headmaster’s desk there is no last name, only the title. “Mr. Headmaster? Master of head? That’s a rough name, Sir.”

“Staff members are addressed by their titles: Math, Science, Latin, Coach. Keeps everything simple, yet respectful. Any other questions?”

“Okay, I’ll bite. If this school is designed to brings boys to a better life, why would my parents send me here?”

“Well, Richard, your parents know where you are. After all, they are the ones to have sent you here.”

I shake my head in disbelief

“There is no way they would have been happy about this.”

“I didn’t say they were happy, I said they know where you are.”

I fall silent at those words.

“That is all for today, Richard. I do hope we will not have to have a behavioral talk soon, I would hate for a young man like yourself to be wasted. Peter will escort you back to science. Have a good day.”

As I leave, I turn back to see the Headmaster grin at me, his eyes heavy under his brows.

 

* * *

 

 

As soon as I walked into the hall, I was met with possibly the single most energetic student ever.

“Hi Richie! My name is Peter. I do hope you’re enjoying your time at Derry Academy so far. I know I have. The program saved my life. Sure, it took a while to get used to, but now I see I’m so much better off here than I was at home.”

“And where was home again?”

“Oh, the faculty doesn’t like us talking about our time before the school. Helps us stay focused.”

“Right. On our ‘unique potential’ and situation.”

“Right! Now you’re getting it.”

Suddenly, a wild-eyed kid runs up to us. The kid seems unhinged, and maybe even a little desperate.

“Hey! Hey, new kid!” He yells, “Listen to me!”

Peter frowns, almost as if he has seen this scene play out one too many times.

“Oh, boy. We got a snapper. Pay him no attention, Richie.”

The kid grabs me.

“They’ll force you to follow the program. Don’t do it.”

Peter moves to pull him off me.

“Back off. You get one warning.”

As Peter reaches to grab the boy, he recoils and dashes away.

As he runs into the woods he calls back.

“Don’t give in. We can beat them. We can get out. Stay away from IT!”

More than a little confused, I ask Peter if that sort of thing happens often.

“Uh, probably a couple times a year. Maybe more around the beginning of school. Kids haven’t fully adapted to life at Derry yet, y’know?”

Rolling my eyes, I answer, “I know, trust me.”

He gives me a weird look, and I can’t help but feel exposed, as if he can see directly through me.

Nodding toward the woods I try to crack a joke to ease the tension.

“Now what, they sic the dogs on him?”

He doesn’t seem to get it.

“No dogs. Now, come on, we need to get you to class.”

I follow the boy toward the school building, but we’ve hardly taken any steps before a siren-like alarm comes from the woods. The noise is unnerving, like a mix between a human screech and an electronic wail. It comes from the same direction taken by the fleeing kid. The siren is followed by a short scream, then silence. I look at Peter, eyes wide with fear, but he just motions impatiently.

“You’re missing science.”


	3. Chapter 3

When I walk into the classroom, no one seems to notice me. _Small blessings, I guess._ The teacher’s voice hums at the back of my mind as I look around for a seat that is both out of the glare of the science teacher and easy to get to without disrupting the entire class.

My worries about disturbing the other students may be presumptuous, though, because they all seem to be hammering away on laptops, not bothering to look up.

“Mr. Tozier.”

Well there goes my hopes of slipping in unnoticed.

“Hello, Mr-” I trail off remembering that no teacher has a real name in this place, “Hello, Science. I’m sorry I am late, I was-”

He cuts me off with a wave of his hand.

“Please, help yourself to your seat.” He points to a desk in the middle of the classroom. _Fuck_.

Every eye in the room swivels to stare at me as I weave through the students to my place. Eerily, my name is already on it, along with a stack of assignments I assumed that I would need to make up.

The boy in front of me turns around to face me.

“God, how do you even see with these?” He asks, while ripping my glasses from my face, “We don’t like people who look different, do we boys?” He directs the last question to  
the two boys sitting next to him, both of whom laugh in response.

“Ah, Mr. Bowers, ever the entertainer.”

Science’s voice interrupts what I’m sure would become a verbal smackdown.

The boy laughs, “You know me. I aim to please.”

“Well then, Henry, since zoology so obviously bores you, please entertain us all with your analysis of muon-catalyzed fusion.”

Henry’s face blanches, and he begins to give a broken, slow answer, “Yes, those would be the positively charged deuterons and tritons that fuse with what is known in physics circles as the negatively charged muntons, which as we all know, create-”

A loud, piercing bell interrupts his answer, and he smirks.

“Too bad, Science, guess I can’t finish my beautifully worded analysis.”

“Yes, that is simply too bad. However, that gives you extra time to study before finishing your answer tomorrow.”

On that note, Science gathers his things to leave the classroom. I stand to exit, but all the other students remain where they are. Science exits, passing another teacher coming in. The name card on the desk automatically switches to the name Math, who looks confused to see me standing.

“Sit down, Mr. Tozier. I won’t keep you too long.”

Abruptly, I fall back into my seat, to laughter from the other students.

“Now then, if we’re done with that lovely display, let’s move on to differentiation in derivatives.”

Math launches into a long discourse on the topic, the numbers flashing quickly on the screen behind him, his mouth moving a mile a minute. Looking down to begin taking notes, I see a slip of paper. Confused, I pick it up and open it. On it, there was one scrawled sentence. Two words:

HELP US.

I looked around to see who sent the note, but each of the students had their head down as they intently type into their computers.

This school just keeps getting stranger and stranger. I’m beginning to wonder what dirty deeds go on behind the scenes at the perfect school.

 

* * *

 

After a solid seven hours of non-stop lessons from a neverending staff of teachers, I stumble back to my dorm building and drop onto one of the couches in the common room.

At the sound of more boys entering the room, I open my eyes. Seeing the boys from class earlier, I can’t help but groan. _How much fucking worse can my life get?_

One of the boys, Henry, I remember, grabs his hair and roughly rustles it.

“Richie, how was your first day? Enjoy being the center of attention, loser?”

I can barely contain my anger. I want to pummel the four smirking assholes. I know their type of boy. They take what they want when they want it, with no care of anyone else. I’m not going to give it to them.

“Well, Henry. It really kinda sucked. Some idiots in class tried to rile me up, can you believe it?”

“First day isn’t even the worst day,” states a gangly blond boy.

“Not even close,” chimes in a tall boy with lang, greasy black hair.

“Never gets better, either, does it Vic?”

“Not when you live with us, Henry,” _So the blond is Vic,_  "What do you think poor little Richie should do, Patrick?”

“Might want to call mommy and daddy and have them pick you up,” Patrick answers, then smirks, “Oh, right, you can’t. Daddy dropped you off here with no intention of ever  
picking you back up.”

Before any of the boys can move, I’m standing, with an elbow in the throat of the boy who hasn’t spoken yet. Instantly Patrick and Vic are on their feet, ready to face off against me. There is something almost militaristic about they way they have positioned themselves.

“You’re sure you want to do this?” asks the boy I had my arm to, but I felt him twist my own arms behind my back to position me so the other boy could get a clean shot.

“Oh, Belch, I sure hope he is sure.”

After a tense moment, of us all glaring at each other, I shake Belch’s arms off me.

“I’ve had it with you, with that psycho in the office, with this whole damn nut house. I’m out.”

The door slams behind me, the boys grinning manically as I leave.

* * *

 

I walk away from the dorms, across the commons, and toward the small fence, ringing the edge of a dense forest.

In the dark, with the scream of the boy from this morning echoing in my ears, I feel like I’m not really safe. So I do what any sane person would and begin talking to myself.

“No fence here, Richie, just trees. Easy. No problem. If I trip an alarm, I’ll just keep running. Keep running until I find something. There’s always something.”  
I hop the fence and enter the forest.

“This is America. It’s never more than a five minute walk to the nearest mall, or some place with a pay phone. It’ll all be fine.”

However, despite my reassurances, the trees have begun looking less like trees and more like fingers stretching down to grab me. I panic and try to turn back, but the forest  
has become a labyrinth. I can’t see the school anymore.

I run back the way I think I came from, but only come across a dead end and a thick cluster of thorn bushes.

“No way. I’m not lost in this damn forest.”

I start walking, but nothing looks familiar and it’s getting darker by the minute.

Then it starts, a low noise, like creatures were moving through the trees around him. Then I hear another sound, low crackles like radio static. I bolt, but can’t escape the noise. And it seems to be getting closer, no matter how far I run.

I duck behind a thick tree, and chance a look behind me. My stomach drops when I see the black-clad, inhuman creatures slowly moving through the trees. Their heads are hidden under helmets and the only discernible features are their glowing red eyes. Haunting unintelligible whispers, like radio static, seems to be their only form of communication. One of the things looks up, its eyes scanning the surrounding woods.

Terrified, I press myself hard against the tree, hoping against all odds to remain unseen.

The things continue to scan the area, but move back the way they came after a few minutes.

When I hear them walking away, I cautiously move out. Taking pains to remain silent, I hurry back through the woods. Miraculously, I find a trail. Its worn down, as if it’s been used almost everyday, and I can only hope it leads back to the school. Picking a random direction, I start running along it. I break into a clearing and almost pitch over  
the edge of a cliff. Far below is water, wide and black, all heading down into a massive drain.

It looks like it goes on forever.


	4. Chapter Three

After almost plunging to my death, I back quickly away from the edge of the cliff. I regain my footing, and will my pounding heart to quiet before one of _those_ things hears me.

My feet unconsciously lead me back along the path, my ears occupied with listening for the creatures and my mind by fear.

I pick up on the sound of crunching leaves, and freeze. My heart pounding, I duck behind a tree and pray they move past.

Upon listening closer, I can hear voices, thought, not the strange whispers of before.

The voices seem to be arguing, and as the come closer, I begin to pick out what they are saying.

“Which way?”

“Um, down here, I think”

“Keep _up_ , Eddie.”

“I wasn’t made for this. Wisecracking my way out of a fight, I can do that. Scaling walls to freedom, not so much.”

“Shh! They’ll hear us!”

“If they’re even out there.”

I take a step back in shock. It’s the people from earlier, who were so nice to me. Were they planning on just leaving me tonight?

“Wait, wait wait. Shh. I don’t think we’re alone.”

With that, I step out from behind the tree, motioning for them to stay quiet. The group of six stand before me, huddled around Stan, who is holding something akin to a phone, with his hand covering the screen to hide the light.

“ _Richie_?” Eddie hisses.

My heart jumps a little at hearing my name from his mouth, but I shake the thought away. Not the time and definitely not the place.

“We can’t stay out here. Those creature things are everywhere,” I warn them, “We have to get out of this damn forest, but I’ve gotten myself lost.”

Stan holds up the phone in his hand, shaking it to show it off.

“Well, you’re lucky Bill is only a little obsessed with old technology and has a GPS from years ago.”

“Just because I think Walkie-Talkies are still a valid form of communication-”

Bev cuts them off, “ _Not_ the time, guys.”

Both boys roll their eyes, but Eddie takes the GPS and shows it to me.

“The school takes all the electronics we have on us when we get here, but nobody even thought to check for tech from the 90s. Bill collects these things, and we got it working again. It’ll tell you the direction you’re going in, but it doesn’t help a whole lot with location. The damn thing has no idea where we are. Despite that, it can get us back to school. So-” he hands me the GPS, “Lead the way.”

 

* * *

 

Before I lead them back towards the school, I take them close to where I last saw the creatures.

They have remained roughly where I left them, only moving when something in front of them does.

I step back to show the others what we should be running from, signaling how many there were.

The reaction of the other kids shows they were not prepared to deal with that many.

I nod to the others and they follow me away from the creatures.

Only once we are far enough away from the things, and well on our way back to the school, do I turn to the others and ask the question I’ve been dying to ask all day.

“What is this place? Derry Academy?”

Ben responds, “We don’t know. We’re not even sure if the teachers know.”

Eddie chimes in, “They can spew trivia about _In Search of Lost Time_ or the Punic Wars, but ask them where we are and they get lockjaw.”

“And we’ve all asked,” says Bill.

Mike sighs and says, “You can forget learning anything from the Ads.”

I raise my eyebrows, “Ads?”

“The kids who mindlessly agree with the Headmaster’s spiel. We’re different, we have potential...stuff like that,” she clarifies, “Those kids are too deep into believing the adults mantra to ask questions.”

“Or too scared,” says Stan.

“Finally the three of us decided to risk the forest run,” explains Bill, “Planned it for months. People said the Prodigium would get us, but we needed to escape.”

“The things in the woods?” I ask.

Bill nods, “We call them Prods because if we really thought about what they might be, we’d start screaming.”

“What are they? Guards?”

“Possibly,” Mike says, “No one’s ever come back to say.”

“Fun school, huh?”

I nod, agreeing with Stan, “Like something out of a nightmare. But with those things on patrol, we’re probably better off back there.”

Ben grumbles at that suggestion, pointing at the GPS in my hands.

“It took Bill and I weeks to fix up that piece of junk. If we don’t go now, we won’t get another chance. Maybe we can circle back.”

I open my mouth to argue, but before I can, Stan cuts in.

“Do we even know how these things maneuver? Do they attack together, or split up? How do they communicate? What are their weaknesses? Anyone know?”

We stare back in silence.

“If Richie wouldn’t have found us, we would have disappeared like so many other kids. Gone. We’ve got to do this right.”

Mike nods, “Can’t just lash out. Until we know what we’re dealing with, we’re better off watching and waiting.”

We look back at the other four, waiting for their agreement. After a moment of indecision, they finally nod, giving in.

“Well, let’s go back to the least terrifying place here,” I say, and smile for the first time today.

 

* * *

 

A few moments later, we are all trekking back through the dark woods toward the school, Eddie and I in the lead, consulting the GPS. I’m explaining how I ended up here to him.

“I got into this fight at school, right, and got suspended. Nothing out of the usual for me, then I wake up the next morning to my parents suddenly sending me to boarding  
school. And if I know one thing, it’s that my parents can’t afford a boarding school, no matter how terrifying it is.”

“Pretty much the same for me,” he says, “I had a big fight with my mom the day before I ended up here, yelling and screaming, the works. Next day, I’m in a car headed up here. And I know for a fact that my mother would never let me out of her sight if she had a choice.”

“Escapes, masked goons, minor kidnappings, my old schools were never like this.”

Eddie laughs, and I’m sure it’s the best thing I’ve heard.

He opens his mouth to respond, but instead of words, a scream comes out.

I spin around and come face to face with a one of the Progs. It resembles a hairy, wolf-like creature. And it terrifies me.

It makes eye contact with me, and grins, the same siren from before ringing around us. The sound acts like a beacon, other bizarre Progs race through the forest, their  
frightening sirens rising. They move like a coordinated strike team, vaulting over downed trees and thick bushes.

“Everybody run! Over the hill and then we’re there,” I point, while running.

The forest is bathed in an eerie red light from the Progs as the creatures push in from both sides.

However, when we clear the hill, the creatures fall away, their red lights not quite reaching over the crest.

We’re all breathing hard, but I feel safer on the lawns of the school than anywhere else.

“We should head back,” Bev says, “I’m pretty sure security is going to switch on soon, and I refuse to try to dodge lasers.”

We walk back into the dorms, each group splitting off to go to their respective rooms.

Later, when I’m laying in my bed, the days events flash through my head. I’ve never experienced so much fear in such a short time. And _that_ terrifies me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all this is WAY short, im sorry
> 
> also school is about to get wild, so my already erratic schedule is about to get even. more. crazy.
> 
> anyways, enjoy!

As soon as I actually fell asleep, I was awoken by a pair of hands shaking me. Spooked by the events of the night, I jolted awake, fists up in preparation for a fight. My hands were pushed down by a set of smaller ones. Looking up, I saw Bev, eyes wide and searching, and one finger over her lips.

“Come on,” she whispered.

I followed her out of the room, through Derry Academy’s maze of hallways. She leads me up a set of stairs and into a musty old room.

The room was a treasure trove of old Frankenstein-like equipment, skeletons in cases, dusty taxidermy animals, creepy things in liquid-filled jars and other scientific paraphernalia of forgotten times. The centerpiece of the room was an old telescope, mounted to look up through the ceiling.

When I entered, I could see the other kids standing around a table. I smile, the room gives me a good feeling. It’s a mystery, and I love it.

Bill turns around and greets me, “This is where we met to plan the escape. It’s the only place on campus that’s completely private.”

“At least we think,” says Stan.

I respond, “Still very cool.”

“It’s got that old Nancy Drew-vibe.” I smile. Apparently Eddie and I both got the same feeling from the room.

“This used to be the old observatory,” says Ben, pulling me from my thoughts.

I’m intrigued.

“I’m good with astronomy. Let me get a fix on the stars and I can figure out where we are.”

Mike moves to stop me, “We’ve all looked though it, but-”

“Let him look, Mike,”says Bill, “It’s better he knew.”

I look through the telescope, and I can immediately tell something is wrong.

I voice my thoughts out loud, “This isn’t right.”

I’m stunned.

“The stars, everything’s out of place,” I go quiet, “Are we even in the United States?”

The other kids shrug.

“You’ve seen the flagpole,” says Bill, “There’s no state flag, no country. Only the school.”

I turn away, “Didn’t think home was so far away.”

“How long kids have been brought here, and what they were used for is anyone’s guess,” says Ben, “We still don’t know why we’re here.”

“We’ll worry about that once we’re gone,” states Bill.

I make eye contact with Eddie, and he looks so down that I have to do something. We need a plan.

I turn to face the group again.

“We’ll do like all the other kids and pretend to be good little Ads-”

Eddie joins in, his face lighting up, “Each night, we’ll meet here-”

“And map out a real escape plan,” Bill finishes.

“I’m all for that, guys, but-” Stan trails off.

“What?”

“Our parents knew about this. They sent us here. If we go back, what do we go back to? What will we have if they reject us?”

We all make eye contact.

Bill puts his hand out and after a moment of hesitation, Stan took it, holding his hand out.

After a second, Bill voices the answer that is in all our hearts, “Each other.”

 

* * *

 

The next morning, we get up, and play the game the adults want us to play. I take out my perfectly pressed jacket, tie my tie, and slip on my fancy dress shoes. I look over  
myself in the mirror. My tie is straight, my jacket is neat, not a detail is out of place.

With books in hand, I sets off for the classroom. I am t just another model Derry Academy student. From some unseen system comes the voice of, welcoming any new students that were dropped off during the night.

On my way to class, I cross paths with Headmaster.

“Ahh, Mr. Tozier. Just the student I was looking for. Math says there was an incident last night in the woods. Would you happen to know anything about it?”

“I was inside studying, Headmaster. Ask anyone.”

“I did,” he looks me up and down, “ Good to see you in full uniform.”

I smile, as patronizing as I can make it without being suspicious, “I can’t understand the program if I’m not part of it.”

His smile doesn't quite reach his eyes when he smiles right back at me, “You’ll find that’s the best way to succeed here.”

As I walk away, I can feel Headmaster’s eyes boring into my back, but I simply continue walking, a serene smile plastered on my face.

However, before I can get far, a hoard of student forces my attention to the commons. I follow after them, curious about what has drawn them there.

In the middle of the quad lies the body of a Prodigium.

Students surround it, looking at it with awe.

I can hear the chatter of other around me.

“Is it really a Prog?”

“No one’s ever seen them.”

“You mean no one’s seen them and come back.”

“Someone did.”

Headmaster pushes through the crowd, causing many of the students to scatter.

“All right, all right students. Back to your daily business.”

Most students around me walk off, already forgetting the scene in front of them, their faces blank.

English approach Headmaster. I try to act like I’m not listening, but I want to hear what they’re talking about.

“First time that’s happened,” says English.

“And we’ll make it the last,” finishes Headmaster.

“Shall I implement disciplinary procedure?”

“No reason to punish the entire student body for a message sent by a small portion of them. If we ignore it, they’ll become over-confident, careless. We’ll catch them next time.”

“You’re sure it’s a ‘them?’”

“I have some ideas.”

I feel both teachers eyes on me, and I make my way across the clearing to where my friends stand.


End file.
